Morocco has been elected by acclamation in The Hague to the Presidency of the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on behalf of the African Group, for a one-year term starting on 12 May.
This election, in the person of Mohamed Basri, Morocco’s Ambassador to the Netherlands and Permanent Representative of the Kingdom to the OPCW, follows the unanimous support expressed by the Group of African States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention for the Moroccan candidacy, as well as by all members of the Executive Council.
Morocco’s presidency of this central decision-making body reflects the kingdom’s continuous commitment to the noble objectives of the Convention and its sustained cooperation with the OPCW. This is illustrated by the organization in Morocco of several pioneering conferences as well as numerous regional training sessions aimed at strengthening the capacities of experts, first responders, military personnel, and law-enforcement representatives from African countries on topics such as chemical safety and security, the peaceful uses of chemistry, and the fight against chemical terrorism.
This election also demonstrates the recognition by OPCW member States of Morocco’s major role, constant commitment, and active contribution to the work of the Organization’s various bodies.
Morocco, which has been designated for the second time to assume the Presidency of the Executive Council following a previous term in 2021-2022, has held several positions of responsibility within OPCW bodies. These include the Presidency of the Conference of the States Parties, the OPCW’s supreme body, in 2017-2018, the Vice-Presidency of the Executive Council on behalf of the African Group for 2025-2026, as well as the Vice-Presidency of the Conference of the States Parties in 2023-2024 and 2025-2026.
As the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, the OPCW, with its 193 Member States, oversees the global endeavour to permanently and verifiably eliminate chemical weapons.
Since the Convention’s entry into force in 1997, it is the most successful disarmament treaty eliminating an entire class of weapons of mass destruction. For its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW received the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.
Morocco signed the Chemical Weapons Convention in January 1993 and ratified it in December 1995. Since then, Morocco, which has never possessed chemical weapons, has fulfilled all its obligations under the Convention while remaining a strong advocate for the peaceful use of chemistry.
